A-A… Some Stuff I'm Working On

Yes, I can tell that this one will be another gem. Nice going AA. I'll keep my eye on this thread....

Aaron I am loving it already!!! Cant wait to see more!!! What a great way to start off the New Year with another great challenge!!! Thanks for the pic's.
Later,
Spermy

You're off to an excellent start on that guy for sure. Your attention to detail is a guarantee that we are gonna see another incredible tiki emerge from the log. Keep feedin' us the pics!!!!

Crazy design! That looks like a lotta work, perfect for you..heh heh. I like seeing yours unfold the best AA.

"Now me and the tiki scientist are going to have to carve into the heart of him".

I like him already. Not only are you different from all of the other carvers but you are different from yourself. I don't think that anyone can hold a candle to that. I think you, like myself, like to try different things all the time. People getting paid from their work usually have to keep a style. Its good to challenge yourself. Its all the fun and reward.

-teaKEY

Aloha bruddah!
Looking good brah! Keep the pictures coming! I look forward to seeing da kine finished carving!

Keep up the good work brah!

Malama Pono!

Hey so, is your bruddah Tevita one of the "Tangotailoa" family of carvers on Maui? Does he stay west side? Just curious brah!

Your props are doing wonders for my carving mana! Maybe it’s because I’ve not been doing this so long, but I’m always a bit skeptical when I first start out with a newly sketched up log. It’s only after the details start to emerge that I get really excited. But I’ve gotten a bit more done since those last pics and it’s starting to feel good.

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Loki, I agree. I am totally looking forward to this Sunday carving with Dave. The best thing about tiki carving is that you meet people from all different professions and walks of life. And yet we all have this common interest in tiki carving. I am really hoping to meet a lot of you East Coasters at the Carving Seminar. This will be a once in a lifetime deal, I’m sure. Hope you can make it.

Tiki5-0, Mahalo my friend! I’ll keep you updated for sure!

Gman, try as I might, I can’t shake this mentality of preplanning every detail. It must be a byproduct of 15 years or so doing CAD design. I really would like to become more spontaneous in my design approach, though. My wife bought me a complete painting/easel set for Xmas, so I am planning on taking some drawing and painting classes at the local Community College. I think that will help loosen up my design a bit. But hey, whatever works! I agree, all of the different approaches keep things interesting around here!

Ben, I can’t agree more. When I don’t have a piece in progress, I’m usually trying to come up with a plan for the next one. I’ll try to do you proud and post lots of pix!

Sam, Mahalo for the comps! Stay posted!

Spermy, I’m looking forward to doing some carving with you this year. We’ve just got to plan it and do it.

8FT and Surfintiki, Thanks – you guys are inspiring me with every new post.

teaKEY, I agree with you, it’s more fun to try new stuff all of the time. If it’s just carving for pleasure you don’t have to worry too much about deadlines or profits.

kaha ki'i, thanks – I’ve really enjoyed your step-by-steps. Stick around, we need you in the TC carving ohana.

I really don’t know if Tevita is one of the "Tangotailoa" family of carvers. Probably, though. He said the carvers who sell over by the Banyan Tree are his cousins. He also said he was related to another guy named Ma’ake who I met at the Crafts Fair in Napili. It sounds like they are all part of the same Clan.

Tevita’s shop address is on Maui West side, and he sells his wares at the Cannery Mall in Lahaina. Look him up some time – I’m sure he’d dig that. Here’s his info:

Tevita
Siva’s Woodcarving
1221 Honoapiilani Highway
Lahaina, HI 96761
Ph (808) 667-0535

He wanted me to post his address & info here on TC, but I was waiting on some photos he was going to send me. With “island time”, who knows when that will be though!. In the mean time, there it is. If anyone from this board is planning on a trip to Maui, look him up for sure. He also does custom orders if you want to call him ahead of time.

I was thinking of having Tevita do an authentic Tongan style carving for me, but I looked up some Tongan tikis the other day in “Oceanic Arts”. Tevita had told me that Hawaiian Style carving is way better than Tongan, and now I have to agree. The Tongan tikis I’ve seen are pretty simple figures, without much decoration. These Tongan guys have created their own style in Hawaii, blending the Hawaiian and Tongan styles into something new. They put lots of etching and ornamentation on the Hawaiian forms and it looks pretty cool. I don’t know where all the ornamentation style comes from, but assume it must be from Tongan weapons, since the Tongan tikis seem so plain.

Thanks for all of your comments.

Mahalo,

A-A

"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua 2006-01-06 15:12 ]

There must be some sort of engineer in your background. That is so planned out. It looks really crisp for just removing the sapwood and having so much more to go. You do spend a lot of time on the details upfront.
JP

I just wanted to say nice job on all your work. You take a lot of time and plan out each tiki before the carving even begins. I've been looking at TC for some time and just started posting today. I'm always excited when I see that you have a new project with progress pictures. I live in South Orange County and I notice that you live in Rancho. Maybe we'll run into each other down the road someday.

JohnnyP, thanks so much. I work for a Consulting Engineering firm and do plumbing systems design for a living. I mostly sit in from of a computer all day, so carving tiki on my breaks makes for a welcome and refreshing brain colonic. I'm really glad you decided to jump into the TC "Creating" fray! Your work really compliments everyone's efforts here. I've got a question for you, but I think I will post it on your thread instead...

Alldo, welcome to the Board! Nice to see another local OC carver at TC. We will run into each other - I guarantee it. I'll shoot you a PM. Look for the flashing envelope when you login - just in case you haven't experienced that yet.

Cheers!

A-A

another precision-crafted work of art in progress.... keep the pics coming!

Thanks, Palama! I will post some new pix in a few days, I think - looks like rain today, so no carving :( . Ku has that "tin soldier" look right now - lots left to do, not so exciting to look at just yet.

Aaron

Here's an interim update.

Ku is coming along slowly, still in the "tin soldier" stage at the moment. If Rodeo is, as he says, "the slowest carver on TC", I'm a very close second. And I have to totally agree with what Mr. Dale recently said on Rodeo's post about keeping a balance with carving, family, business, etc. Maybe that's why tiki is so appealing as an escape. We can only dream of living on the beach, carving all day, no job responsibilities. Unless I win the Lotto of course! Till then it's all daydreaming... :)

I got a little carried away with the chainsaw in the beginning. After I get his feet carved, I will bolt on a pedestal base to give it some stability and balance between the top and bottom.

Some new cracks made me decide to give him a good soaking once a week whether he needs it or not. Not very dignified for the Mighty Warrior God Ku, but I'm sure he'll thank me later...

**Cheers!

A-A**

A.A.,

I'm glad you are putting all those redwood logs to good use. It is amazing how the wood will swell back up like a sponge. All you work is top notch, I'm loving the Hypnotiki. You mentioned that it is difficult working with the two toned characteristics of the wood, but it seems like you are working with it with no problem. Come up and visit again sometime.

Will

AA, he looks awesome. Those lunch time sessions at the park are working well. Glad to see you finding the time to escape.

P.s. if you win the lottery take me with you ....

That is a very cool looking Ku tiki.

Good gawd I want yer precision....everything is uniform and nicely balanced.
This Ku is fantastic!

The nu ku is looking good. It looks like it is going to be rather intricate with all the lay out lines. I like the style, its a little different but definitely Ku.
JP

As Dale points out....you are one precise son-of-a-gun....this is gonna be another great
A-A exercise in perfection....keep em coming!

AA, Man, that sucker looks like he was popped out of CNC machine. To say you are being precise is an understatement! It's looks like a math lesson. It makes me anxious just looking at it!

I like the tiki shower pic, kinda looks like a Tiki Flash Dance kinda thing. You're a MANIAC, MANIAC.........

-Gman

Gman, you said, what I was thinking. This guy looking like metal with all that precision. Kind of reminds me of a action figure with a snap on head-dress. This style of tiki is going to be the first of many, from many people 2.

On 2006-01-30 17:21, GMAN wrote:
a Tiki Flash Dance kinda thing. You're a MANIAC, MANIAC.........

Geez AA, I remember when you first started posting...

Aaron, Your detail is Always so Crisp and clean. Excellent piece. Another Signature headdress with Great detail on the back of this tiki. Take your time , but Hurry UP man!!

Cool work man! Yep, this one is gonna be a killer - but hell, yours always are!

If you really want to give him good mana, put him on a surfboard, and push him into a few waves. Although his head will eventually swell.
Jus kiddin'. Looking really good AA. Did you do most of it with the chainsaw up to this point?

SCtikishack: The redwood carves nice, but the sapwood is a little "chippy" for my taste. Chisels have to be super sharp and it's hard to get good detail. I suspect it works much better for chainsaw carving. When I started this piece the wood was so juicy it would squirt like a grapefruit, even though it had cured for a long time. I think it's due to the slow rate that I carve, and being stored in the back of my Blazer, but the sapwood really dried out & has become pretty difficult to carve. So I decided to take your advice on hosing it down, and that has seemed to do the trick for now.

Rodeo: Yeah, my wife and I are always planning how we will spend our Lotto winnings (our little game). It's bound to happen one day - I'm sure of it.

Mahalo for the props Bete, Mr. Dale, Hewey & Conga. These occasional progress posts help to keep things moving for me.

JP & TeaKEY: It is definitely a different kind of Ku. The sapwood/heartwood aspect forced me to tweak the design. The backside design was borne of my own laziness. I didn't want to put the effort into a full-body backside on this one because it will sit in the corner and no one will see much of the back. It should become more Ku-like as it progresses and the facial features and detailing begin to emerge.

Thanks, Gman! You're dating yourself with that Flashdance reference. But I'll admit I saw that movie when it came out too.

Aloha, Foamy. After only a year & a half I'm starting to feel like an old-timer around here. There's so many great new artists it's hard to keep up. The more the better though! It's always great to see your posts come up now & again.

Ben, Mahalo. I'll be expecting some serious detention if this one's not done by the time I see you in Tennessee.

Surfintiki, thanks. No, it's mostly been chisel and Japanese pull saw so far. I used the chainsaw for the end cuts only, but cut a bit more off than I figured. Now I gotta cheat and bolt on a pedestal base for the look I need. I'd like to start chainsaw carving some day, but I only have a standard bar. You really need a quarter or dime tip bar for good chainsaw detailing, and that costs a few bucks.

Mahalo for the comments!

A-A

What's up Aaron? They shut the park down or something? You need a log? Workspace? Let's get you back up front soon!
Buzzy

AA,

Where are youuuuuuuuu?

A-A was allegedly spotted doing some actual carving at Spermy's place yesterday.

allegedly....

Carving? what the hell is that?

Unless you have pictures and two credible witnesses, you can't prove he was even there let alone carving......

-Gman

i've benn wondering the same thing. it's been too long since aaron has posted anything. all these great pieces and then nothing.....you can't do that to us!!! you're too good, keep it going! we NEED to see some new work from ya!

Consider it done, guys - almost. Maybe this weekend. Small thing finished, big things planned... Thanks for the bump!

[Edit:] Here's a link to the finished "Coon-Tang" mask.

"Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."
-Pablo Picasso

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua 2006-07-22 15:06 ]

Okay, scratch that. Another small thing planned...

I've decided to try a small (10" or so) marquesan carved from some Hau (wild hibiscus) wood given to me by a kindly Tongan carver in Maui.

Here's the inspiration relic.

Oh and by the way, Lono No. 9 took 3rd place at the Orange County Fair this year. Happyhappyhappy! :)

Cheers!

A-A

CONGRATS on the 3rd place at the OC Fair!! i'm looking foward to seeing how the marquesan turns out. i'm sure it'll turn out great like the rest of do you make.

Ditto as tiki5-0, cool having a tiki take ANY prize at the County fair, Defeintely HappyHappy and More Happy. Post plenny of pix of that hibiscus carving!

oooooo...pablo picasso tiki. matches your sig nicely! this should be cool!

AA, I'm still here waiting to see one of my favorites get finished. Its been half a year since to last posted pics on this tiki

Ben & 5-0, the fair is a lot fun. I've entered stuff a few times, and this is the first time I've actually won anything. I did notice more tikis this year, even though there is no specific category for tikis. There is an amazing array of unbelievable art produced by everyday people like you & me. So win or lose, whatever the case, it's just a good feeling to be a part of it.

Polynesiac, I didn't realize the Picasso connection till just now. That is really cool! My inspiration relic is not that exact tiki, but very close. You'll notice it is a picture of a poor copy of a picture of some book taken somewhere, I'm not sure... :wink:

teaKEY, that redwood tiki went on the shelf for a while. His sapwood was behaving badly so I put him on time out. Maybe I'll let him come out & play later on, sans sapwood (ouch!).

A-A

don't know what makes it pablo picasso tiki but looks like a winner

Cool style, Aaron. I'm sure it's going to be a winner too. That chunk of hibiscus looks pretty cool also. Looks like it has some 'curliness' to it or some other type of figured grain. Conrats on the OC fair win! It would be tough over here to beat out a duck/decoy carver, seems we're saturated with them over this way. What I'm trying to say I guess is that we need more tiki carvers here on the right coast!!

On 2006-07-21 21:43, teaKEY wrote:
don't know what makes it pablo picasso tiki but looks like a winner

Thanks, teaKEY. Polynesiac was refering to "Picasso's Famous Tiki". It took me a few minutes to figure that one out also.

Brad, this wood is deep brown with a very beautiful, twisty, curly grain. It is very hard and should hold the detail well. I've never seen or heard of Hau wood before going to Maui. No stain will be necessary for this one!

Aaron

(Maybe you WILL get a new carver in your area. That would be very cool! I'll let you know after August)

Here’s some O.C. Fair Tiki Pics...

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I woke up this morning feeling super motivated, and focused on the new Marq with laser-like intensity!

What can I say? It was a slow day. Inspired by recent posts, I decided that an injury was in order. Not being nearly so ambitious, I decided that four stitches and a tetanus shot would suffice.

After a few hours at the local ER, I finished up the day with this block of wood with a tiki outline on it. Sweeeet! It’s Miller time!

dude!!!

heal quickly. been there... done that.

How'd you cut your finger marking out the design?? I'm loving the use of laser technology too!

Oh c'mon Aaron, the least you could have done is run your hand through a circular saw, maybe cut into your thigh with a chainsaw (ouch, seen that done), or smashed your thumb with a two-ton sledge!!

All kidding aside, I'm sorry to see you got bit. How did you get it? It looks like a knife cut, but it doesn't look like you were at the knife stage yet? Possibly a large chisel? At least your tools are sharp!

Either/anyway, I hope you heal up quick. Finger cuts suck; as we all use our hands so much. I was lucky, my cut was on my head and I rarely ever use it :lol:

Give it a few days to start knitting and then wear a big 'ol honkin' glove, baby it, and get back to showing us what you were gonna show us. I've really been missing the AA posts.

Take care and heal up,

Gman

Yeoouch!

JP